


Can't Live Without You

by Momma_Time



Series: Detroit: Become Fannon [16]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bakery AU, Bookstore AU, Human AU, I've got a wheel of tropes that I'm spinning for this hot mess, M/M, Promise, Supervillain AU, brief mention of sexual assault but nothing actually happens, idk where I'm going with this fic but I had an urge, superhero au, this is such a weird mix of aus that we're just here to have fun and toss in as many, tropes as possible, we're all in for a wild ride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-25 17:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16665385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Momma_Time/pseuds/Momma_Time
Summary: A superhero/villain au.Supervillain, the Hunter, winds up hiding in the kitchens of a bakery/bookstore, wounded and alone. The shop's owner, Connor Anderson, is kind enough to help him, despite knowing that the Hunter could easily kill him. There's something odd about him, and the Hunter can't figure out what it is.





	1. You're My Only Wish for a Dream Come True

**Author's Note:**

> The chapter titles will come from the pre-chorus/chorus of the song "Can't Live Without You" by Owl City bc I'm a hoe for that man's music and it's perfect for a super au tbh. I think I've used the title before though but I can't figure out if I have because I have almost 100 fics on this site and I don't feel like searching through them all to see if I do. Whoops.
> 
> The Hunter is Nines. I went with the name bc Deviant Hunter, ya know????

_You reached down out of nowhere_  
_And_ picked _my heart up off the floor_  
_You put my life back together_  
_And I'm not broken anymore_

 _You're my only wish for a dream come true_  
_And it goes like this, will you come to my rescue?_  
_You're the only hope that I'm clinging to_  
_And I hope you know I can't live without you_

* * *

 

When Connor went to the back to refill the bin with the fifty-pound bag of sugar, he didn't expect to find the city's most notorious villain collapsed against the back door, hiding from someone and wounded. The baker froze on the spot and met the man's eyes, his own wide and split between fear, surprise, and concern.  
  
He was torn between tying the man up with something and calling the police and helping the man up the stairs to the loft Connor lived in above the bakery and bookstore he owned to patch him up.  
  
His compassion won out, and Connor dropped the bag, stepping out of the kitchen to let Daniel know that he needed to go upstairs to take care of something and to hold down the fort until Connor came back.  
  
The villain, the Hunter, as he was known, eyed Connor warily but didn't put up a fight as Connor picked him up and carried him upstairs to his apartment. Connor tried to be gentle, and the villain noted how he didn't struggle to carry him up the stairs after a few minutes like most. He wasn't in any position to point it out or anything and simply accepted whatever fate the baker had in mind for him.  
  
The Hunter was surprised when Connor set him down on the toilet lid of his sparkling clean bathroom and quickly pulled out a first-aid kit; there was a crap ton more in the baker's kit than the average person, but again, he didn't point it out.  
  
"Do I have your permission to patch you up?" Connor asked softly.  
  
He nodded silently and leaned against the wall beside the toilet while Connor helped him out of his armor and started cleaning and bandaging his wounds. Connor didn't mess with his mask; that was another surprise to the villain. Why would someone not jump at the opportunity to unmask him? He didn't realize that he said that out loud until Connor snorted and replied.  
  
"It's not my place to invade someone's privacy, villain or not," he murmured.  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
Connor glanced up at him, brown meeting gray. His smile was soft and secretive, but he didn't reply; he went back to work on helping the villain.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Why do you care?" Connor asked with a grin, parroting the Hunter's question.  
  
"Because I would like to know what idiot would help a criminal." The Hunter hissed in discomfort when Connor applied a disinfectant.  
  
"Someone who has compassion." There was a beat of silence before Connor finally gave a quiet reply. "Connor. I own the shop downstairs."  
  
The Hunter hummed, "Yes, you seem the type."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Connor teased, grinning to himself.  
  
"I mean, you seem soft and helpless enough to be that type of nerd."  
  
Connor snorted and jokingly flexed. "I just carried your goofy ass up the stairs without breaking a sweat. What makes you think I couldn't handle myself?"  
  
"How about I challenge you to a fight and see how well you fair?" The Hunter joked, smirking.  
  
His expression flattened, and he pinched the Hunter's arm. "You're in no condition to fight anyone, idiot."  
  
The villain scowled at him and held up a hand, electricity jumping between his fingertips. "Think I could not hold my own?"  
  
The Hunter watched in fascination as Connor stared at his hand curiously. "Huh...so that's what you can do. I only ever see you with your crossbow or something. That's new."  
  
What the hell?

"You really do not care about who I am and what I am capable of, do you?" he asked flatly.  
  
Connor finished his work and helped the villain tug down his shirt and carefully wrapped his armor back around the Hunter's waist and chest. The gentle touch was disarming; he was used to everyone he met wanting to kill him or shaking in fear, and yet this man was just...calm as could be and gentle. Connor wasn't trying to hurt him on purpose, or accident.  
  
Interesting.  
  
"If you want to kill me, go for it. Honestly, you'd likely be doing me a favor." Connor's lips twitched into a grin when he put away the kit. A favor? Well, that wasn't worrying in the slightest. "But you won't, not today, at least."  
  
He stood and offered the villain a hand up. "Come on. I'll make you something to eat or drink, and you can take it with you. How do you feel about a salami sandwich? That's decent travel food. Unless you need to stay here and rest a few more hours?"  
  
"What the absolute fuck is wrong with you, kid?" The Hunter took the hand and let Connor hoist him to his feet, following numbly after him into the hall and towards the kitchen.  
  
"As I said, I'm compassionate, and I don't give a damn who you are. You haven't tried to kill me yet, so I may as well extend a hand of kindness while I can." Connor immediately started pulling out a few things to make for the dangerous man sitting at his kitchen table. "Now, what do you want to eat and-or drink?"  
  
"The...sandwich will be fine, I suppose."  
  
"Sandwich it is."

 


	2. And it Goes Like This, Will You Come to My Rescue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of a mishap.
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: There's a threat of sexual assault, but nothing happens bc people get their asses handed to them for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand now we see the weird bit about Connor, though we won't see Nines wondering about it until the next chapter.

It was driving Nicholas up a wall.  
  
He couldn't get that idiot baker out of his head after their strange meeting. Every single time the heroes landed a hit on him, he thought about Connor tending to his wounds. Every single damn time he tried to eat a sandwich, he thought about Connor's salami sandwich. Putting on his suit reminded him of the baker. Slipping on the mask that Connor refused to take from him reminded Nicholas of that stupid, stupid man.  
  
Who was that foolish and had that little self-preservation that they would actually aid a known villain?  
  
Because Nicholas couldn't rid himself of thoughts of Connor, he decided to kill the guy and get it out of the way. He could slip into the shop in his plainclothes, and Connor wouldn't know it was him. Could he sneak into the kitchens or something and kill him somehow? Or fake being injured, let Connor take him up to his apartment again, and _then_  kill him.  
  
Either way, the man needed to die. It was the only way Nicholas could focus on his work again. He had more important things to do than allow himself to be distracted by some foolish baker.  
  
Nicholas looked into the shop from the roof of the building across the street, watching for when Connor went to the kitchen or storage to make his way behind the building and sneak inside to see Connor.  
  
When he staggered through the door as if he were dizzy, one hand holding his head, he was unsurprised to see Connor's stunned expression.  
  
"Hunter?" he whispered. "Shit. Here."  
  
Just like Nicholas wanted, the man rushed to his side and helped him stay upright. Connor's hold on him was gentle, just like the last time, but his grip was sure as he kept Nicholas on his feet and ushered him to the door to his apartment. "Are you okay? What happened?"  
  
"I was...feeling unwell. I am unsure why."  
  
"Shouldn't you have gone to a doctor?" he asked with a snort. "I'm not exactly equipt for this."  
  
"A villain going into a hospital? You do realize that it would be foolish of me to try that." Connor wound up lifting him into his arms again and carrying him up the stairs without a moment of struggle. Why did Connor insist on carrying him everywhere?  
  
"You have a life outside of villainy. Who would connect the dots?" Connor countered.  
  
Nicholas didn't answer, just accepted his fate. It wouldn't matter in a few minutes anyway; Connor would be dead, and Nicholas could move on with his life.  
  
Connor sat him down on the couch and gently arranged Nicholas until he was lying down and propped up on a pillow. "What has you feeling ill, Hunter?"  
  
"I am just...dizzy is all, with a headache."  
  
The baker knelt beside the couch and carefully ran his fingertips over Nicholas' head where the mask and suit didn't deny him access, feeling for a concussion first. When he found no sign of it, he frowned. "Do you perhaps have a fever or an ear infection?"  
  
"How would I know?"  
  
Connor huffed and lightly flicked Nicholas' nose. "Until I have more information, I don't know how to help you. Would you like something for the headache at least? And maybe some tea?"  
  
"Yes." Nicholas could spring up and kill Connor while his back was to him. It would be easy.  
  
But the concerned look on the baker's face gave him pause. No one ever looked concerned for him. No one ever showed this much compassion, whether he was in this suit or not. Why? Why did this idiot insist on being kind to him? Nicholas couldn't remember how long it had been since someone was this nice to him, without wanting anything in return or trying to be nice out of fear or in the hope that he wouldn't hurt them or worse. No one is this nice.  
  
Before he realized it, Connor was already back with tea and some bread, along with a bottle of pain medicine. Shit. He'd missed his chance. The morning was still young.  
  
\--  
  
He couldn't bring himself to do it.  
  
Nicholas kept going back, but it was late in the evening after the shop had closed and Connor was upstairs eating a late dinner or getting ready for bed. One time, Nicholas brought something to eat with him as thanks for the help. Not every visit was a social call. Being a villain was a full-time job and injuries came with the territory.  
  
Connor was always concerned when Nicholas came in looking worse for wear after a fight. It was just as baffling as the day they met. His touch was gentle, his smile kind, his tongue just as sharp as Nicholas' when they bickered or joked, and his cooking was to die for. Connor sent him home once with a few cookies and holy shit, Nicholas was in heaven.  
  
He'd grown fond of the idiot, but Connor didn't need to know that; Nicholas still maintained his grumpy exterior, tried to keep distance between them with vague and empty threats, even as he spent time with the man.  
  
\--  
  
Daniel and Chloe went home early for the night by Connor's insistence. The nasty weather had driven customers away. Connor understood completely; he wouldn't want to go out in that mess either. The rain was falling near sideways, and the thunder was loud enough to rattle the windows of the shop. The lights flickered a few times, and Connor prayed they'd last until he finished closing up the store.  
  
He was in the office in the back of the store when he heard someone come inside, the bell over the door tinkling harshly with someone's haste. Confused, Connor left the office and headed for the front. Had Chloe or Daniel forgotten something? They had keys to the place, and Connor had locked the doors behind him; it couldn't be anyone else.  
  
And yet, he walked out from behind one of the bookshelves to find four men crowding around the register at the front and trying to break into it. Connor glanced at their hands and belts. Guns. He couldn't fight them off if he started something with them. Connor could fight, but he wasn't in any position to take on four armed men at once. He didn't have any of his own weapons on him; he didn't arm himself when he was in the store.  
  
He felt a presence behind him, and before he could turn around, someone wrapped their arms around him, a gun held lazily in one hand as if they knew Connor wouldn't bother trying anything.  
  
"Well, look who we have here. You're a pretty one, aren't you?" they teased.  
  
Make that five armed men in his store. Fuck.  
  
Connor tensed and silently promised to keep _something_  on him from now on when he was working. He could only do so much on his own, and he had to touch them to fight back.  
  
The other four looked up from their pilfering and grins spread across their faces at the catch.  
  
"Pretty? I'm covered in flour and look like shit right now," Connor replied, a small smile gracing his features. He just needed to get one hand on the man.  
  
"Mmm, a hardworking boy like yourself looks delicious like this. Imagine how you could look after we have a little fun?" Connor inwardly rolled his eyes. Ugh. He hated these types of criminals. They were corny and absolute idiots for bothering to chat up a potential victim. What gave him pause was when the man grazed the shell of his ear with his teeth.  
  
Oh, shit. Not okay.  
  
"Let me go, get out, and you'll get off easy," he warned.  
  
One of the others laughed and gestured at Connor. "A fighter? Haven't had one of you in a while."  
  
"Then your attempts at "having me" will be the last time you pull shit like this again." He'd make sure of it.  
  
The man holding him shoved Connor into a bookcase just before Connor decided to reach out and touch him. He yelped when he landed and rolled quickly to sit up, hands at the ready to take him on. The power flickered again.  
  
Connor looked up at his initial attacker to find a gun aimed at him. "I don't think you could back up a threat like that."  
  
"No, but I would be willing to." Everyone in the room looked for the source of the voice to find the Hunter standing in the doorway with a cold smirk twisting his features. Connor didn't like that look on him at all, but his eyes went back to the gun in his face rather than at the villain.  
  
The power went out.  
  
Connor rolled out of the way a split second before the gun fired and kicked out, knocking the man over. He lunged towards the body and grabbed at his wrist. The man cried out in pain when Connor broke it.  
  
Across the room, the other four men were shouting in pain or fright, as one by one, they hit the ground, silent. Connor didn't want to know if they were dead or not.  
  
When there was nothing but silence and the first attacker's haggard breathing and pained groans, Connor heard footsteps coming towards them. He braced himself for the Hunter to lash out at him or the criminal whose wrist Connor had just shattered, but nothing touched him.  
  
Instead, he heard the man beside him yelp when the Hunter stomped on his stomach.  
  
Shit. Connor couldn't fix the guy in front of Hunter if there was severe damage.  
  
"St-stop before you kill him!" he snapped, swatting blindly at where he assumed the guy was about to slam his boot down again.  
  
"Why?" the man above hissed. "Even I know shit like this is fucked up. There is a line, and those who cross it have what is coming for them."  
  
"I said, stop." Connor glared into the darkness above him, unsure if the Hunter could see it or not, but his voice was stern and left no room for an argument.  
  
He reached down carefully and laid a hand over his attacker's stomach, sensing where there was internal bleeding and quickly working to stop it. Shit, he hoped the guy above him didn't see it, didn't notice, couldn't sense what Connor was doing. He couldn't know what Connor was, or who he was.  
  
Connor reached for his back pocket and pulled out his phone. "You may want to leave or something. I need to call the police and an ambulance for them. Did you kill any of them?"  
  
Please say no.  
  
"I do not know, nor do I care." Hunter's voice was biting and still held the icy tone from before he attacked the intruders.  
  
The baker huffed and dialed the emergency number, ignoring Hunter's grumbling protests. After giving the address to his shop, Connor switched on the flashlight on his phone and surveyed the damage. Two of the men by the counter didn't look to be breathing. He couldn't see the other two well enough to know what happened.  
  
"With the power out, I don't have access to the tapes, and the cameras don't work on batteries. After the power went out, there's going to be a gap in the footage. You may want to leave before the power comes back."  
  
There was a moment of silence before he heard Hunter heading for the back. Confused, Connor looked behind him to follow the sound. "Dude, where are you going?"  
  
"I will meet you upstairs when you are finished here." That was all he said before he left the room. Shortly after, the power returned, and Connor had a moment to survey the damage. One of the men he didn't think was breathing...his neck was broken.  
  
Fuck.  
  
Connor jumped to his feet and rushed to the other three to check and make sure they were alive.  
  
Dead.  
  
Which meant that Connor's attacker was the only one alive. He looked behind him to see the intruder sitting up and cradling his wrist. "You have the Hunter playing bodyguard for you? What the fuck?"  
  
Well, one benefit to this, the guy talking about it to others would hopefully scare others away if they tried to mess with the store or Connor. On the one hand, great; that's less he has to worry about. On the other, so much for keeping a low profile. Connor didn't want to be noticed.  
  
"I...no. I don't think so?" Connor looked back to the four bodies and felt his stomach turn at the sight. He hadn't planned to kill any of them, just incapacitate them until the police arrived, or Jericho if they were nearby. "He's a villain...why would he...I don't understand."  
  
And he didn't. Villains don't save the day. Villains don't defend the helpless. That would make them heroes, which they weren't. They were cruel and ruthless and were hell-bent on hurting people or doing whatever other nasty things they could come up with.  
  
Maybe villains have a few morals too.  
  
Sexual assault was one of them, it seemed. At least it was for the Hunter.  
  
\--  
  
The four dead people in his shop were a harsh reminder that Hunter was a killer, that he was called the Hunter for a reason. He picked out targets, and when he had someone in his sights, they were as good as dead unless they managed to disappear. Hunter was a criminal; he wasn't a good man. He was dangerous and lethal and cruel.  
  
Connor hesitated at the door to his apartment at the top of the stairs. What would he find up there? Would Hunter attack him next? Had he even stayed? Why would he stay unless it was to do something to Connor while Connor was still in shock?  
  
He opened the door slowly and peered around it before he stepped inside. Hunter was sitting on the couch, waiting for him. When he heard Connor come in, he whipped his head around, glowering at Connor. Yeah, he was dead. First those poor guys downstairs, and now him.  
  
He'd had a good run, at least.  
  
Hunter rose to his feet and stalked forward like Connor was his prey; Connor stood his ground, but closed his eyes, tensing once Hunter was in his space and crowding him against the door. No blows came. No yelling. Nothing but their breathing could be heard, and Connor could feel Hunter's body heat radiating off of him.  
  
He eventually unclenched his eyes and opened them to find Hunter staring down at him. It was the first time Connor had seen him look concerned. Hunter always brushed everything off, didn't show affection or blatant kindness; those acts of niceness were always obscure, and he'd write them off as him wanting something from Connor or paying him back for whatever Connor had done for him, not because he felt like being nice for niceness' sake.  
  
"You are scared of me, are you not?" Hunter's voice was but a murmur, one that Connor could sense a hint of sorrow in the tone of it. He hated that it made him feel almost guilty for being scared him, but Connor knew he had a right to be after that display an hour ago.  
  
"Yes," Connor whispered truthfully. "You just killed them. Just like that. Y-you didn't disable them and leave them for the police to take care of or-or whatever. You fucking killed them, Hunter."  
  
He was in shock, his mind supplied helpfully. And for all of his healing abilities, he couldn't fix his own head.  
  
A pained expression crossed the Hunter's eyes, clouding them with regret. "If...if you need aid again," he started quietly. "I will refrain from killing them."  
  
"Why do you care about what I want? Why do you care about helping me anyway? I don't understand." Connor demanded, "Why?"  
  
The discomfort in the Hunter's eyes changed to something dark. It wasn't cruel like what Connor saw earlier; he didn't know what it was. Hunter moved closer, almost flush against Connor, and he reached up to take a gentle grip on Connor's chin.  
  
His ominous tone sent a shiver down Connor's spine, and he wasn't sure if it was the good kind or not. He was scared shitless at the moment, but having some evil supervillain say that they wouldn't kill anyone when protecting him again because he didn't want anyone to die was thrilling. "Because no one lays a hand on what is already claimed as mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor can heal/hurt people, in case that isn't clear, but he's careful about using it bc he doesn't want anyone knowing and either Jericho or any villains trying to get him on their side. He'll stay neutral and not fight, thanks.


	3. You're the Only Hope that I'm Clinging to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor ain't havin' it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun writing his rant.
> 
> Edit:  
> Warnings: Connor accidentally hurts himself, then heals it, and then he purposefully hurts himself to show Nicholas how his stuff works. It's not too descriptive but it's there.

_Claimed as mine._

"Yours?"

Wrong thing to say.

Connor jerked away from Hunter and righted himself, kicking his shoes to the side and ripping his jacket off to throw over the back of the couch. He ducked around him to make for the kitchen. He needed tea, and he needed it now before he throttled him. He barely got the machine going to heat the water before he whirled around to glare at the Hunter's confused expression.

"Let me make one thing very clear because I will not repeat myself," he growled. "I am not yours. I am not anyone's. You want to protect me? Fine. Go for it. I won't stop you. But I am not a thing for you to claim. I'm not a prize. Am I understood?"

His voice had risen the more he spoke until he was nearly shouting. He went to set down the cup he'd pulled from the cupboard, and he missed the counter. It dropped to the floor and shattered. The noise startled him, and he jumped slightly, shoving a fragment from the broken cup into the side of his foot when he stepped on it. Connor yelped and stumbled back from it, swearing up a storm as he lowered himself to sit and set about pulling the glass out.

There was a little bleeding, and if he let it heal on its own, walking the next day would be a bitch. He wasn't going to open up the store tomorrow while he cleaned up the place, but he couldn't clean if he couldn't walk on it without wanting to curse Fate.

Fuck it. He didn't give a damn and Hunter may as well know what the hell is up with his mess.

So Connor didn't bother hiding it when he rested his palm over the wound and healed it, but when he looked up to see Hunter's reaction, the man wasn't there; he was still by the door. So much for Hunter seeing it.

"Um, Hunter?" Connor sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Can you please get me the broom and dustpan from the laundry room? I don't want to step on the glass again."

There wasn't any movement for a moment, and then Connor heard Hunter moving to grab what Connor asked for, but rather than handing it to him, the villain cleaned it up himself. He appeared cowed by Connor's admonishment, but Connor couldn't find it in himself to regret it. Hunter had crossed a line, and Connor wasn't going to put up with that shit.

It wasn't until Hunter turned around that he noticed Connor sitting on the floor with blood on his foot and hand, but no wound. Of what Connor could see of his face, the man was confused, eyes staring at the mess.

"I thought..."

"It was just a scratch. Nothing to worry about. I'll go wash up but could you please keep an eye on the water for me while I'm in there?"

"Do you need help getting to the bathroom?"

Connor shook his head and offered Hunter a weak smile. "No, I'll be fine."

\--

That was a lot of blood, but there wasn't anything there from what Nicholas could see of it. That didn't make any sense to him, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. How would Connor bleed like that but not have a gash?

When Connor returned, Nicholas decided to act on his suspicions and grabbed Connor, tossing him over his shoulder and ignored his squirming and demands to put him down. Nicholas dumped him on the couch and sat on the coffee table in front of him, staring the baker down.

"Where were you hurt? Why did you not bandage your foot? That was a lot of blood, Connor." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Talk."

Connor shifted uncomfortably and raised his foot a bit out of a subconscious reaction to Nicholas pointing it out. It was enough to draw Nicholas' attention to it but not enough to show him where there should be at least a scratch. It wasn't a good enough angle. "It was just a scratch. It stopped by the time I got to the bathroom."

"Do not lie to me, Connor."

He blinked owlishly. "I'm not."

"Then what are you?"

"I'm...a man who owns a bakery and bookstore and--"

"That is not what I meant," Nicholas snapped.

Connor opened his mouth to try and respond, but the electric pot in the kitchen beeped to let them know that the water was ready. He used that as his excuse to dodge the conversation, but Nicholas wasn't having it. He grabbed Connor's wrist and yanked him back.

"It can wait, Connor."

The man hesitated before twisting his arm to grab Nicholas' arm, but he didn't break Nicholas' grip and pulled him to his feet to drag him to the kitchen. When they got there, he tugged away from Nicholas and reached for the knife block, removing a paring knife.

"Connor, whoa, no, do not--" Connor cut into his hand with it and then held it out for Nicholas to see. The blood welled up in the gash and Nicholas immediately tried to find a napkin or something to stop the bleeding. "What the fuck, Connor?"

"Hunter, stop. Watch." Nicholas turned around to look at Connor's hand and watched with amazement; the bleeding stopped on its own, and the skin repaired itself. The blood that had already oozed out was still there, but there was no sign of an injury.

"What..."

"I can heal, or I can harm with this. That's how I shattered that man's wrist and kept him from dying from ruptured organs and internal bleeding when you tried to shove your foot through him." Connor turned away and washed his hand off in the sink with a wince and then rubbed at his head. He glanced at the pot and sighed.

Nicholas noted how much paler Connor looked, how he was losing his usual confident posture.

"Healing that man earlier was exhausting, was it not?" he asked quietly.

Connor hummed and switched off the pot. He didn't want tea anymore; Connor just wanted to go to bed and pretend that none of this ever happened. He didn't fight Nicholas off when Nicholas dragged him to his room and pushed him to sit on the bed while he searched for clothes for Connor to change into. Nicholas threw them at Connor and quietly, kindly, ordered him to change. He even turned around to let Connor have some semblance of privacy, not that he wasn't tempted to watch.

So he was a super, of sorts. Besides the weird control over people's health, Nicholas wondered if he could do anything else. Well, he was strong if he could cart Nicholas around like he was nothing, though that likely wasn't as much of a power, and possibly just Connor being Connor. The man behind him mumbled that Nicholas could turn around, and he did, only to find Connor in just the pajama pants and no shirt and wow, he liked the vi--no.

Connor must have sensed his confusion because he smiled sheepishly and said, "I don't like wearing shirts to bed. I'll put one on until you leave if that would make you feel more comfortable."

"N-no. Do what you like, Connor. Your house, your rules." Nicholas averted his eyes. Yeah, looking at Connor wasn't a good idea. "Besides, you are tired, which is why I dragged you here. Sleep and I will...uh, come by sometime. I do not know when, though."

He saw Connor get up out of the corner of his eyes and glanced up to see Connor staring at him curiously, looking torn between approaching Nicholas and bolting.

Nicholas hadn't apologized yet. Shit.

"Connor, about earlier. I am sorry for my behavior. That was inappropriate."

"Apology accepted. Never do that again."

"Yes, sir." Because he didn't like how it felt to have Connor pissed off at him.

He felt a warm hand wrap around his wrist and Nicholas was reminded of what Connor could easily do to him if he ever wanted to. What a gift, Nicholas thought dryly. Or did Connor see it as a curse?

"If it's too late for you to head home, you can crash here again," Connor offered.

Nicholas hummed in thought before slowly nodding. "If that is your wish."

"No. Is that your wish?"

"Sleeping in my gear is not exactly comfortable."

"Then sleep in here, and I'll crash on the couch. Can borrow something of mine and you won't have to worry about me knowing what you look like." Connor moved to leave, but it was Nicholas who stopped him.

"I could not, in good conscience, take your bed from you. Not after the night you have endured." Nicholas hesitated before motioning to the bed. "Lay down, and I will join you in a bit, maybe?"

"But your mask and gear?"

"Do not open your eyes then so I can take it off or...something."

Connor just shook his head, exasperated. "I'll just take the couch, nerd."

"Says the man who owns a bookstore."

"At least I've embraced it." By the looks of it, Connor was over the argument.

Nicholas could still see the exhaustion and wariness in his eyes. The day and night had been draining on him, and he didn't feel entirely comfortable around Nicholas. He needed to end the back and forth so Connor could get some sleep. He brushed by Connor and made for the door, making it clear his intentions to take the couch, but he stopped in the doorway.

"Why did you hide this?"

"From you or...?"

"No. Why hide it at all?" It was perplexing. Anyone else would love to use their gifts and show them off, in one way or another. Connor went out of his way to _not_  use them. "You could do so much with them."

Connor slowly sat down on the bed and stared down at his hands, having laced his fingers together. "If Jericho knew, they would try to recruit me to their little team. If any other villains found out, they'd try to convince me to side with one of them or force my cooperation. I have no intention of getting caught in the middle of your petty wars. I want nothing to do with it. Both would want me on their side and think that it would make them invincible because, hey, we've got a portable Mr. Fix-It here. Can do whatever we want."

He paused and finally looked up at Nicholas. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want others to get hurt. I will not participate in something that always gets some innocent bystander hurt or killed if they don't get out of the way in time. I don't like anything you villains get up to. At all. But I also don't like Jericho for enabling the behavior, allowing it to continue and keep up the back and forth for the sake of attention rather than justice and order."

"You think I am petty?"

"Really? All of that and this is your takeaway?" Connor snorted. "Dear Ranine...sheesh."

"It is a legitimate question. You did just lump me together in a very broad category of people."

"I think that the fights both sides instigate are petty and ridiculous. Do you participate in them?"

"I mean, yes, but--"

"Then yeah, you're a bit petty too. And I don't like the shit you get up to when you're not here."

Nicholas thought about it.

He had already promised not to kill anyone to defend Connor, but he had never promised to stop being the bad guy.

"You know I have no intentions to change my ways, right?"

Connor groaned and flopped back onto his bed, arms spread wide and groaning. "I know. I know." There was something else besides morals that bothered him about Nicholas' activities.

"You worry." It was a blunt statement, not a question.

"Yes."

"And you do not like that I refuse to stop."

"Yes, but I can't stop you, nor would I."

"Why do you care at all?"

"Because you worry me. Why do you care that I care?"

"Because you worry me too."

He couldn't see it, but he knew Connor was rolling his eyes. "Get over here."

"Excuse me?"

"Get in bed with me or else. I'm tired and sick of your shit."


	4. And I Hope You Know...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Chihuahua Connor and Dobermen Superheroes. XD

When Nicholas woke the next morning, Connor was still conked out, face half buried in his pillow with his mouth open and short hair in disarray. It was a dumb sight; Connor looked ridiculous.  
  
It was adorable, and Nicholas felt a rush of fondness.  
  
He rid himself of daydreams before they could begin and carefully slid out of bed to dress himself. Nicholas thought about staying until Connor woke, but the man got so little sleep that it could be a while. He didn't want to bother him.  
  
Hesitantly, he leaned over to kiss his cheek but faltered. No. Connor was a little scared of him again after the night before. Nicholas couldn't blame him. Instead, he pulled away and silently slipped out of the apartment to let Connor rest.  
  
\--  
  
When Connor saw Hunter again, it was later in the evening when he was on his way back from the grocery store. They were out of something at the bakery, and Connor went and wiped out their shelves of the items he needed. The night sky was clear, but he couldn't see any stars because of the city lights. Even still, Connor found himself looking up and enjoying the sight until he ran into someone.  
  
"S-sorry. I wasn't looking where I was...going." Connor's eyes widened when he saw that it was the Hunter. He grabbed the man's hand and guided him into the alley nearby.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed. "In broad daylight? Someone could see you."  
  
"I was trying to check on you, but you were not at home."  
  
"How did you find--never mind. I don't want to know." Connor glanced back at the sidewalk and then at the Hunter. "You're going to get yourself killed one of these days over this. You've got to be more careful."  
  
"Do you think I am unaware of my situation?" the Hunter asked incredulously. "I know what I am doing, Connor. I am always careful."  
  
"Don't jinx it, Hunter."  
  
"Hey, Huntsman! Come on out, buddy. Need a few words with you."  
  
Connor looked back at the street and then at Hunter. "Is that...did I just hear the voice of who I think I just heard?" When the Hunter nodded slowly, his mouth pulled into a grimace, Connor swore. "Then run, you idiot. I told you don't jinx it."  
  
"It is not like I planned to--"  
  
"Oi! Get away from the kid."  
  
The pair looked back to the mouth of the alley to see two of the Jericho members standing there, looking pissed and coiled to strike.  
  
Connor glared. "I'm not a kid!"  
  
"That is what you got from that?" the Hunter mumbled with a snort. "Maybe you should run."  
  
The Hunter turned to face the two heroes and moved to place himself between them and Connor. It was defensive, and a challenge. He's an idiot, Connor thought miserably. "Kid? I do not see any kids here. Perhaps you should see your optometrist about your eyesight."  
  
Connor rolled his eyes. He was going to kill Hunter after this. How could he joke at a time like this?  
  
"Hunter, knock it off and get your ass over here."  
  
"Orders? From you two? Excuse me while I laugh my ass off. It may be a moment before I can speak again." Hunter raised his hands. "I am not here to harm the man. My interest lies elsewhere in the city, and you are more than welcome to try and figure it out. In the meantime, kindly fuck off."  
  
One of the members shot a spike of ice at Hunter and Hunter had to leap back so it wouldn't run him through, but he bumped into Connor, and they both fell into a heap on the ground. Hunter rolled over, grabbed Connor to cover him, and then pulled out his crossbow, shooting at the next spike mid-air. Next, he threw a static cage over him and Connor to block any incoming projectiles.  
  
"What happened to not wanting the guy hurt? You, idiots, are going to kill him!" he shouted.  
  
"Then he should run and not get in our way."  
  
Connor shoved Hunter off and pulled him to his feet, running back a few steps and pulling him around the corner to take cover. Hunter barely dropped the shield before they ran into it.  
  
"This is exactly why I want nothing to do with them." He shot Hunter a look. "Don't. Move."  
  
Hesitantly, Connor stuck his hand out around the corner so they could see he wasn't wearing Hunter's gloves and was hopefully assumed not to be him, and then poked his head out. The two heroes were closer, and both looked ready to strangle Hunter, and Connor if he didn't get out of the way. He'd be just as guilty as the villain if he got between them.  
  
Connor kept his hands up and stepped out from behind cover, with Hunter trying to grab him and pull him back before he could; he was already out of reach. The moment he was out, another spike came out, this one fired out of reflex than anything. The hero, Connor couldn't remember which, he ignored them all and didn't care about their names, drew back, eyes wide when his ice grazed Connor's arm.  
  
The baker hissed in discomfort and twisted his arm a little to get a better look at it. Unthinkingly, he sent a silent order for the tissue to heal and then shot a glare at his attacker.  
  
"Enough! I am so fucking tired of you people and your trigger-happy, camera-hungry shenanigans." Connor gestured to his arm, where there was only a tear in the shirt now, and continued his increasingly loud rant. "See that? That's why I can't stand either side of this petty war. You assholes don't care who gets in your way so long as you think you saved the day. Do you have any idea what the death toll is just this year because of you?"  
  
Before they could answer, Connor shouted, "Forty-fucking-six. And it's only been five months! Fuck you." And then he glared at Hunter, "And fuck you for being part of this too."  
  
"Both sides need to get the fuck over themselves and straighten up, or Ranine help you, I will knock the teeth out of everyone on both sides before throwing your asses in jail. You want press? There's the solution to wanting to be in the spotlight, but at least no one dies because of your school-yard fights."  
  
"Excuse me?" The one with the weird gun that shot goo at people looked ready to throttle Connor. "We're here to save you ungrateful shits, and this is how you treat us?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, were you expecting me to roll out the red carpet for the guy who's directly responsible for eight of those deaths because your aim is shit and they suffocated in that gooey shit?" Connor flipped him off. "Fuck you."  
  
"My aim is excellent, thank you very much."  
  
"Tell that to their families!" he shouted back. "You want to save people? Fine. But actually pay attention to where they're at instead of only focusing on the criminals. It's like a video game where you forget to defend your support. You forget that they're there until they died, and then you're up shits creek, except this is the real world and these people don't respawn after you dipshits forget that you're supposed to be protecting them rather than hurting them in your desperation for glory!" Connor took a deep breath and slowly released it. "There is nothing heroic about someone who hurts the weak. That makes you just as bad as the villains. Even _they_  don't have the same body count as you right now. What does that say about you and your little club?"  
  
"And for your information, Hunter wasn't attacking me. He was far more polite in his casual small talk than you idiots were. Now kindly fuck off because you're hopeless until you get your shit together." Connor grabbed his grocery bags and started for the exit, bodily forcing his way between them to get to the street. "Hunter? Come on. You're getting a cookie for defending me from this idiot's pointy ice thingies."  
  
There was silence, and the Hunter slowly came from outside his hiding place to follow after Connor. The three supers said nothing to each other, and Nicholas finally caught up to Connor on the sidewalk.  
  
\--  
  
Neither spoke as Connor stormed down the street to get home. Nicholas could feel the fury radiating off of him, but felt relieved when it lessened the further they got away from the Jericho members.  
  
When he thought Connor had calmed down enough, Nicholas mumbled, "That was...stupid, but thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," Connor mumbled back. He was beginning to curl in on himself as the realization of what just happened sunk in, and Nicholas prayed that the guy wouldn't have an anxiety attack over it.  
  
He was going to try and change the subject to set him at ease, but Connor grabbed Nicholas' hand and pulled him into another alley, shoved Nicholas against a wall and then kissed him.  
  
"Fuck you for being an idiot and seeking me out in the middle of the night outside of my apartment." Kiss. "And fuck you for nearly getting yourself killed to keep me from being shot." Kiss. "And fuck you for not kissing me the other morning."  
  
Connor pulled away and glared up at Nicholas; Nicholas was stunned, turned on, and absolutely terrified. Fucking hell. Maybe it was the other way around; Connor wasn't his, he was Connor's. He didn't mind.  
  
"I am...sorry." Nicholas slowly cupped Connor's cheek, and he felt his expression soften as he watched Connor lean into the touch. "I did not want you to be hurt. I do not know the extent of your abilities, and did not want to risk it."  
  
"As for not kissing you, I did not think you would approve. You were wary of me the night before because of the whole...killing the robbers thing."  
  
Now Connor looked sheepish as he glanced away. "I see your point. I don't know how I would have reacted in the moment if you'd actually done it, but after, I was a little irritated."  
  
"I will remember to kiss you good-bye next time."  
  
"You'd better or I swear on your sorry ass that I won't help you for three weeks."  
  
"And if I am dying?" Nicholas teased.  
  
"Sucks for you."  
  
"You wound me, Connor." Nicholas greedily drank in that cheeky grin, feeling his own mouth twisting into a stupid smirk.  
  
"Not yet, I haven't. Give me access to your neck, and then you can talk about me wounding you."  
  
"At least let me buy you dinner."  
  
Connor reached up and pinched Nicholas' cheek. "You have, several times already, or are you getting old and forgetful?"  
  
"You count those?"  
  
"If you'd like."  
  
"I would still rather take you out on a proper date."  
  
Nicholas smiled and gave Connor the kiss on the cheek he was denied the last time they were together. Even in the dim light, he could see the blush spreading across Connor's face. He was fucked. A baker without ranged abilities just shouted down two superheroes for him, and then blessed him out too but that was neither here nor there, and fuck, the guy was feisty.  
  
Connor's smile softened, and he kissed him softly this time. Both leaned into it. The kiss was slow, gentle compared to the first kisses Connor had inflicted upon him. He enjoyed both equally, and by the sound of Connor's contented sigh, he felt the same.


	5. I Can't Live Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling, yet short conclusion.  
> All the fluff, y'all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me through these goofy chapters. I love hero/villain aus and things and just...yeah. I had fun with this one.

When Connor looked up at the door chime, he was elbow deep in the cupcakes he was putting into the display case. At the door was a well-dressed man in black slacks, a gray shirt, and a black sweater. His hair was perfectly coiffed and nearly black. Connor imagined it would have been closer to a medium brown if not for whatever product he put in it. His gray eyes were ever so slightly narrowed, a strange gleam to them in the way they scanned the shop. The guy walked like he owned the place. Connor's first thought was that he was hot; his second was that he looked like a prick.  
  
"Hi! Welcome to Baked Books," Daniel called out. "Sit wherever you'd like, and we'll be with you in a sec."  
  
The man tipped his head in greeting with a small smile. The expression softened his features and Connor's third thought was, 'huh, maybe he isn't a prick.' His eyes scanned the shop with a frown and, with a sigh, he took the seat in the corner.  
  
Daniel raised a brow and side-eyed Connor with a growing smirk. "I'll finish here. Go get him."  
  
"Would you please stop trying to set me up with everyone?" Connor mumbled.  
  
"Nope."  
  
With a quiet huff, Connor wiped his hands on his brown, striped apron; he was not dressed for serving like this. He swiped an order pad and a menu on his way over to the table. Connor smiled kindly and set the menu down in front of the gray-eyed customer. "Good morning. I'm Connor. How're you?"  
  
"I am doing well, thank you. Yourself?" His voice was distractingly familiar.  
  
"I'm great! Thank you for asking." Connor clicked his pencil nervously. "Could I get you started with something to drink?"  
  
The man gave Connor a once-over which had heat rising to his cheeks. "Surprise me."  
  
"Oh. Uh, okay. Any allergies or tastes I should know about first?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Then I'll give you a moment to look at the menu while I get that for you."  
  
Before Connor could leave, the guy stopped him. "What would you suggest?"  
  
"I'm partial to anything with blueberries or apples," he replied immediately.  
  
"Strudel?"  
  
"Yes! I just took a batch out a few minutes ago. I was waiting for them to cool before I drizzled the glaze over them." And he was mighty proud of this batch. The last one had been a little too cooked and had a darker brown color to the crust. Connor had refused to sell them.  
  
The man held out the menu. "One of those, please."  
  
"Yes, sir." Connor took the menu but felt a shock when their fingers touched. He jerked away and stared at the customer with wide eyes as the man's smirk grew. Why did it look so familiar?  
  
Oh.  
  
"Hunter?" he asked softly.  
  
The smirk widened, and Connor's face lit up. Forgetting where they were, he lurched forward and kissed him. "I can't believe you're here! Wait. Why are you here?"  
  
This couldn't be a safe place for a villain to be and wait — holy shit. Connor knew what he looked like and fucking fuck. "Holy shit, you're hot."  
  
Hunter snickered, and Connor noted the pink tint to his cheeks. "I am Nicholas, by the way. I never gave you my name."  
  
"Nicholas...I like it."  
  
"Connor? Dude, I sent you over there to meet him, not make-out with him."  
  
Connor's eyes widened, and he smacked a hand over his face, trying to hide the embarrassment. He mumbled to Daniel when he appeared at his shoulder. "Yeah...I uh, we met before but the lighting was bad, and we didn't get each other's names and..."  
  
"Uh-huh. You move fast." Daniel grinned at Nicholas and nodded at Connor. "He's a cute one, good luck keeping up with him. He has the energy of a puppy."  
  
Connor smacked his arm. "I do not!"  
  
"I think I can handle it, but thank you for the warning."  
  
"No problem! And one more thing, if Connor starts to tell you about global warming, shut him up imme--OW!"  
  
"Shut it! He doesn't need to...why are you here? You're supposed to be putting the cupcakes up." Connor shooed him away after smacking his arm, trying to ignore Daniel's laughter and the snickering coming from the older ladies two tables over. He looked back at Nicholas with a shy and apologetic smile, "So, uh, nice to meet you properly."  
  
"That is all you have to say about this? No, wow Nicholas, you are amazingly handsome, what a catch, or something along those lines?" He laughed when Connor swatted him next. "I will remember this later."  
  
Nicholas leaned on the table with his chin in his hand, not bothering to hide the way he let his eyes run over Connor's body, flour and frosting stains and everything else adding to the charm; he was cute like this. "Now about that snack I ordered?"  
  
"You can have this snack now, and I'll think about another one later." The ladies two tables over started laughing again. Connor smiled softly and reached out to rest a hand on Nicholas' cheek. "It's good to see you again."  
  
"And you as well, love."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, bookmarks, and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> Come find me on Tumblr at ixhadbadxdays. Feel free to come say hi to me. :0)


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